Iranian Parliament to set up committee to pursue fate of abducted nationals

The Iranian Parliament plans to establish a committee to pursue the fate of the Iranian nationals kidnapped outside the country.

"A committee will be set up at the parliament to pursue the status of the Iranian nationals abducted outside the country," member of the parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Javad Karimi Qoddosi told FNA on Monday.

He stated that the committee will be established in the next few days, and added that pursuing the fate of the kidnapped Iranian nationals in Syria and Libya will top the agenda of the committee.

On August 4, armed insurgents in Syria kidnapped 48 Iranian pilgrims who were traveling on a bus from Damascus International Airport to the shrine of Hazrat Zainab (AS) on the outskirts of Damascus.

Iran is using all diplomatic, political and security means to release the 48 Iranian pilgrims.

Ever since the abductions took place, the Foreign Ministry and the Iranian embassy in Damascus have been pursuing the fate and the release of the kidnapped Iranian nationals through different channels.

Also in Libya, 7 Iranian Red Crescent workers were abducted by armed groups in the North African state early in August.

The Libyan Red Crescent said in a statement at the time that armed men have kidnapped a seven-member delegation from the Iranian Red Crescent visiting Benghazi.